I saw these on the metro this weekend. They were pretty sweet. It made me happy to think about target until I was looking on the internet today to show you all what I was talking about and I came across a petition to remove the ads. Perhaps it is because I am in advertising, but wouldn't the public want to embrace interesting, entertaining forms of advertising? This is the petition:

As straphangers and loyal subway riders we would like to make it known that we are officially against any signage, any new ads, any new lighting in the subway tunnel.

In particular we are against the MTA's plan to add advertisement to tunnel walls that will be like "electronic panels that would display 15-to-20-second commercials on tunnel walls - like a giant, high-tech version of kiddie flip books".

Ridership on subways and busses is higher than it has been in 50 years. The MTA finished last year with an enourmas surplus. The subway is our one respite from the city that never sleeps. From being bombarded by a McDonald's on every block and a Starbucks between that. From ads on sides of buildings to the neon glow of Times Square.

We not only ask, we demand that you keep your ads off our tunnel walls.

I suggest this people stop eating at McDonalds and drinking $5 drinks at Starbucks if they want a change, not get angry about an awesome idea that is super entertaining to watch. Additionally, I like how they assume these tunnel wall are "our" walls.

These people should actually fight about something that matters like the environment or something. we demand that you keep your boats off our blue whales.here's the youtube of the ads

Just as soon as I thought I left the advertising world the unique selling proposition caught me off guard. There I was standing innocently at the Smithsonian looking at Rubies and other such beauties when I read the caption to one of the Rubies. Photo by tor.

I forgot to actually take a picture of the pink Ruby so I had to snag a photo off the internet. Here's Rosser Reeves "baby." You just can't get away from advertising.

here's some information I didn't write about this bad boy:

Weighing 138.7 carats, the Rosser Reeves Ruby is one of the world's largest and finest star rubies. This Sri Lankan stone is renowned for its great color and well-defined star pattern. Advertising mogul Rosser Reeves, who donated the piece to the Smithsonian in 1965, carried it around as a lucky stone, referring to it as his baby. He often stated that he had acquired the stone at an auction in Istanbul in the mid-1950s. He actually bought the stone from Robert C. Nelson Jr. of New York who was acting on behalf of Firestone & Parson of Boston. Firestone & Parson were selling the stone for Mr. Paul Fisher of New York. Mr. Robert Fisher, Paul's father, had bought the ruby at an auction in London in 1953. At the time the ruby then weighed just over 140 carats, but was very heavily scratched, and a few carats were removed in the repolishing. The repolishing also helped to center the stone's star. Articles in the New York World-Telegram and The Sun in 1953 mentioned this fabulous gemstone. Photo by Chip Clark.